Andy Cohen Calls Out FDA For Discriminatory Guidelines Making Him Ineligible To Donate Plasma
Last night on Watch What Happens Live, Andy Cohen called out the FDA for not allowing him to donate plasma to help coronavirus patients.
He begins by saying he wanted to help after recovering from the virus, and he signed up for a program to donate his plasma. He then explains that the FDA has “antiquated and discriminatory guidelines by the FDA to prevent HIV, and I am ineligible to donate blood because I’m a gay man.”
He adds, “Even the new relaxed rules require gay men to abstain from sex for three months, whether they’re in a monogamous relationship or not, before giving blood. Though no such blanket restrictions exist for people of other sexual orientations.”
“Here’s the thing,” he continues. “This virus is ravaging our planet. The FDA says there is an urgent need for plasma from survivors. All donated blood is screened for HIV. And a rapid HIV test can be done in 20 minutes or less. So why the three-month rule? Why are members from my community being excluded from helping out when so many people are sick and dying? Maybe because we’re valuing stigma over science? I don’t know.”
“My blood could save a life, but instead, it’s over here boiling. This pandemic has forced us to adapt in many ways. We’re quarantining. We’re social distancing. We’re wearing masks. Why can’t we adapt when it comes to this rule?
He lastly adds, “It’s bad enough that quarantine has us wondering what day it is. I’m sitting here wondering what year it is. We need to think about this and do better.”
Watch the video below.
